This bill would create new tax incentives for individuals to invest in medical savings accounts. Republicans argue that creating medical savings accounts and encouraging investment in those accounts will help individuals afford the rising costs of prescription drugs. In the view of Progressives, medical savings accounts would do little to help seniors afford prescription drugs and they voted against the measure for that reason. Progressives argued that a more effective approach to insure that seniors can afford the drugs they need is to add a prescription drug benefit to the Medicare program. Doing so, they pointed out, would tap the vast purchasing power of Medicare to negotiate the cheapest possible drug prices from drug-makers. The Medicare program could then pass the savings on to patients. Despite opposition from Progressives, the medical savings account bill passed by a 237-191 vote margin.